


Treasure Planet: Hearts of Gold

by WaterBendingQueen88



Category: Treasure Planet (2002)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-08-08
Updated: 2013-09-17
Packaged: 2017-12-22 20:53:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,333
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/917900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WaterBendingQueen88/pseuds/WaterBendingQueen88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jim Hawkins longs for adventure to find Treasure Planet. Finally, he gets his chance. But what happens when the cyborg he's supposed to beware has an adventure-loving teenage niece who's really a pirate? However, there's something different about her from the other pirates.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

The feeling of flight, how could anything ever compare to such an adrenaline rush? So thought Jim Hawkins as he balanced a rather weatherworn looking solar surfer on the edge of a cliff face. The surrounding atmosphere was crisp, the perfect mixture for what he was about to attempt. Slipping one foot under the strap attached to the contraption he bent his knees to balance his weight. 

It was the calm before the storm, and Jim loved it. The sensation of waiting on the edge of something he couldn’t yet experience. He held his breath as the wind tickled his ears.

Then he dropped. The board fell forward, off the cliff face as Jim fell through the air, twisting and snaking about. His adrenaline spiked and his heartbeat thrummed in his ears as he began to spin the board like an upside down chopper. He could see the ground rushing up to meet him despite his dizzy spell as if determined to tempt him even closer, but Jim knew it was time to pull up.

Inches before impact, he hit the thrusters that rattled to life on the back of his board while the sail popped up sucking in solar light. Jim shot across the ground faster than a comet as an exuberant cry escaped his lips. His eyes were alight with freedom, his hair a tangled mess from the roar of the wind. Nothing could compare to this. Deciding to take it to the next level, Jim turned the board past another outcropping and down a canyon toward an excavation site – one of Planet Montressor’s many mining fields. 

Without even slowing down, Jim smashed through the black and yellow painted barrier that warned pedestrians to keep away from the equipment. The warning bells that rang out were quickly swallowed up by the sound of Jim scrapping his board against a rather large metal pipe. Sparks flew making the boy grit his teeth before he soared away from that too, already setting his eyes on his next target: the grinder.

The enormous wheel that churned, tearing away at the side of the cliff face was the perfect opportunity for Jim to practice new tricks. A devilish smirk tugged at the boy’s lips as he hit a button on the back of his board to fold the sail down. Throwing back his arms he gave the machine a taunting expression

"C’mon!" he exclaimed, curling up his body and shooting through one of the small openings located on the side of the mining apparatus right before the hole closed up once more. "Yeah! Ha-ha! Whoo-hoo!" Jim cried, pulling his sail back up as he leveled out his board feeling more than a little accomplished. He was just debating where he wanted to fly to next when an ominous sound reached his ears.

For a moment the boy couldn’t seem to figure out where the sound was coming from until it drew closer and he realized with a start what the noise meant.

"Great…" he muttered as the robotic police men pulled up on either side of him with their own soaring contrivances. Jim could already tell that it was going to be the start of a very long day.

It was just another day at Benbow Inn; a diner that was owned and run by Mrs. Hawkins. Sarah Hawkins was a woman in her early thirties with a very gentle appearance. She never wore anything too outlandish that might call unnecessary attention to herself. It was no secret that she was an attractive young woman, but years of struggling to maintain an inn while raising her son all on her own had left its marks. Her eyes, although inviting, usually expressed her exhaustion. So as not to garner any undesired attention, she usually wore a plain beige colored dress with a white apron tied around her waist. Her short brown hair was always pulled back in a tight pony tail to keep it out of the way of her face and as an added protection she wore a modest cream colored bonnet atop her head.

"Mrs. Hawkins!" an octopus lady with one eye called to the woman rushing around the room. She waggled an empty glass in one of her tentacles, pointing another one at it, bringing to attention that she wanted more of the drink she previously had.

"I know, refill on the Purp Juice. Coming right up Mrs. Dunwiddie!" Sarah Hawkins said with a smile as she passed Mrs. Dunwiddie's table with a tray of hot food. She stopped by another table that was occupied by a family of frog-like creatures.

"There you go that’s four powdered spheroids, two lunar eclipses," Mrs. Hawkins announced, placing two plates of the steaming meals in front of her customers. "And it’s a big bowl of Zirellian jelly worms, for the big boy," she smiled, setting the remaining bowl of live worms down in front of a young frog-like boy who cheered and didn’t hesitate to fill his mouth. 

Weaving through the tables and back to a counter, Mrs. Hawkins grabbed the next two bowls and set them on a tray before whisking off toward a table sitting comfortably in front of a window showing the cloudy Montressor afternoon. 

"Sorry, Delbert," she greeted her longtime friend. "It’s been a madhouse here all morning!" Delbert was well acquainted with the Benbow Inn. He often came there for his meals since he was a wealthy astrophysicist and bachelor who lived on the outskirts of town. He had canine characteristics and always liked to dress in a comfortable red coat while keeping a stack of books under one arm. That particular morning he had been reading a book while he waited for Sarah to deliver his breakfast.

"No problem, Sarah," he assured her, setting his book aside and tucking into his meal. "Ah, my Alponian Chowder with the extra Solara seed. Mmm, yum," he grinned, taking a good long sniff with his rather bulbous nose and digging in. The canine hybrid was just about ready to bring his full spoon up to his mouth when he noticed something in the corner of his eye. 

It was one of the frog familiy’s children. The little amphibian female stood at the side of the table, her blonde hair tied in pigtails while she sat with a rather unnerving smile watching Delbert and his spoon. 

"Hello," Delbert cleared his throat watching as she blinked her eyes at him and stepped back. "What brings you here, curious little one?" When he received no answer, Delbert was all prepared to begin eating, but her presence greatly distracted him from enjoying his breakfast. "Go away," he pleaded before straightening up. "Are your parents around? What’s the matter cat got your toun – ah!" Delbert shrieked as the child opened her mouth, a long pink tongue shooting out and snatching Delbert’s bit of food right off of his spoon. She swallowed, still smiling before turning to skip away, content that she had managed to sneak a lick of the poor man’s meal.

"Oh, they're so adorable at that age," Mrs. Hawkins sighed happily, watching as the girl went back to her table. Delbert put his spoon down and pulled the napkin from his shirt collar.

"Oh yes," he stated dry. He seemed to have lost his appetite. "deplorable-err, ...adorable. Ahem, speaking of which: how's Jim doing?"

"Much better!" Mrs. Hawkins said in relief. She began stacking more clean dishes and picked up the stack when she was done. "I know he had some rough spots earlier this year, but I really think he's starting to turn a corner!"

At that moment, the front door of the Benbow opened abruptly to reveal two cop-bots with a fairly disgruntled Jim between them, each of them holding him by an arm.

"Mrs. Hawkins," The cop-bot on the left addressed.

"Jim!" Mrs. Hawkins exclaimed, losing her grip on the plates and watching them shatter against the floor. By now, of course, the whole dining room could see what was going on. In order to break the silence, Jim tried to play it off. 

"Okay, thanks for the lift, guys," he shrugged off their hands, but one of the cops grabbed him back.

"Not so fast," it growled in its deep metallic voice. Nudging Jim forward it began to explain to Mrs. Hawkins exactly what was going on. "We have apprehended your son operating a solar vehicle in a restricted area."

"Moving violation section 15 paragraph…um…" the first bot hesitated, having forgotten the exact paragraph from the rule book.

"Six…?" Jim offered, rubbing his cheek. 

"Thank you," the cop ground out. 

"Don’t mention it."

"Jim!" Mrs. Hawkins scolded causing Jim to once again stare at his boots. 

"As you are aware ma'am," the first cop continued. "This constitutes a violation of his probation."

"Yes, yes, no I understand, but c-could we just…" Mrs. Hawkins struggled when Doctor Doppler arose from his seat.

"Excuse me, officers," he called, catching everyone’s attention. "If I might, er, interrupt here, I am the noted astrophysicist Doctor Delbert Doppler. Perhaps you’ve heard of me?" When he received no response, Delbert reached into his pocket. "I have a clipping."

"Are you the boy’s father?" one of the cops suddenly demanded, pointing a thick gloved finger at Delbert’s chest. 

"Oh, good heavens no!" Delbert laughed as Mrs. Hawkins also jumped in. 

"No, ew!" she chuckled as Delbert made a face at her comment. "He’s just an old friend of the family."

"Back off, Sir!" the cops roared in unison as they shifted forward. Delbert held up his arms to protect himself as Sarah touched his shoulder.

"Thank you, Delbert. I will take it from here," she told him.

"Well, Sarah, if you insist," he cleared his throat before leaning in and whispering, "Don’t ever let me do that again." Sarah gave him a weak smile as he returned to his seat and his breakfast.

"Due to repeated violations of statute 15-C, we have impounded his vehicle. Any more slip ups will result in a one way ticket to Juvenile Hall," the first cop continued. Sarah Hawkins was not pleased when she heard that news and gave her son a stern look as he was finally released.

"Kiddie Hoosegow."

"The slammo."

"Thank you, officers," Mrs. Hawkins replied and caught Jim before he could escape from the scene. "It won’t happen again," she stated firmly, giving Jim a look.

"We see his type all the time, ma'am."

"Wrong choices."

"Dead enders."

"Losers."

At the last line Jim looked up, shooting the cops a glare.

"You take care now!"

"Let’s motor." And just like that the two robo cops wheeled out of the inn, slamming the door behind them. For a long time the whole place was quiet as customers stared at Mrs. Hawkins and her son, but from one look the woman shot them, they soon returned to their meals and conversations. Mrs. Hawkins sighed and turned back to her son.

"Jim, I have had it." She snapped sternly. Jim looked at the floor in silence. "Do you want to go to Juvenile Hall? Is that it?"

Jim didn't answer her, but faced away from his mother and picked up an empty tub. He took it over to an empty table and began cleaning the dirty dishes off of it, setting them in the tub.

"Jim, look at me." Mrs. Hawkings' tone softened slightly, but picked up again as she went on. "It's been hard enough keeping this place afloat by myself without you goi-"

"Mom, it was no big deal!" Jim said to his mother softly as he turned to face her. "There was nobody around, those cops just won't get off my-"

Mrs. Hawkins gave him a stern look. He gave that excuse almost every time he got in trouble with the cops.

Jim sighed "Forget it." He mumbled.

"Mrs. Hawkins!" Mrs. Dunwiddie called from across the room. "My juice!"

"Yes, I'll be right there, Mrs. Dunwiddie!" she assured the lady before going back to her son. She sighed again. "Jim, I just don't want to see you throw away your entire future."

She left the conversation at that and went to give Mrs. Dunwiddie some more purp juice.

"Yeah, what future?" Jim muttered as he disappeared into the kitchen.

Later that evening Jim had finally made his escape to the only other place he felt remotely secure which happened to be the Benbow Inn’s rooftop. Jim sat against one of the brick chimneys, moodily hunched over while his thoughts processed all of the things that had happened that day. While he sat, he tossed tiny pebbles off the metal plating he sat on, watching them bounce off and hit the ground below. Thunder rumbled in the distance as Jim finally gave up on his rocks and leaned back, voices catching his attention through an open window close by.

"I don’t know how you manage it, Sarah," Delbert was saying. By now the dining hall of the Benbow was all but vacant save for Doctor Doppler and Jim’s mother. "Trying to run a business while raising a felon like – felon – fellow like Jim," he struggled. Sarah Hawkins was clearing away a table beside the doctor’s.

"Managing it? I’m at the end of my rope!" she sighed, clearly exasperated. "Ever since his father left…well, Jim’s just never recovered."

Jim’s scowl deepened at her words until he heard her voice soften.

"And you know how smart he is. He built his first solar surfer when he was eight!" A small smile tugged at the corner of Jim’s lips but was quickly replaced when his mother still continued, "And yet he’s failing at school. He is constantly in trouble and when I talk to him he’s like a stranger to me. I don’t know, Delbert, I’ve tried everything –"

Jim’s attentions were ripped quite suddenly from his mother’s conversation when a deafening roar came over his head. Snapping his head up in surprise Jim watched as a small round space shuttle descended over the roof, narrowly missing the Benbow as it proceeded to crash land on the docks nearby.

Jim didn't waste any time and slid down the roof. He dropped and landed on the ground with both feet and took off running towards the ship.

"Hey, mister!" he yelled at the ship, hoping the passenger inside could hear his.

"Mister, you're okay in there, right?" Jim reached the ship and pounded on the side-door. A clawed hand abruptly pressed up against the glass. Jim grunted as he staggered backwards, surprised by the hand. The door opened, with smoke billowing out of the cockpit, and out tumbled a strange salamander-like man, who was tied-up in a coughing fit. Some kind of chest landed next to him. He noticed Jim standing there, and he grabbed on to Jim's shirt collar.

"He's a coming'," the salamander bellowed, looking up at the sky with beady black eyes. His neck elongated as he continued talking about whatever he was saying. "Can ya hear im? Those gears and gyros clickin' and whirlin' like the devil 'imself?"

He began coughing again. Jim looked at him like the man was insane.

"Uhh...hit your head there pretty hard, didn't ya?" Jim mumbled. The salamander limped back and picked up the chest that dropped out with him, his tail sticking out under his coat.

"He's after me chest, the fiendish cyborg and his band o' cutthroats!" He grunted as he lifted the chest onto his shoulder, stumbling to keep his footing. "But they'll have to pry it from ol' Billy Bones' cold, dead fingers afore I-!"

He fell to the ground again, moaning, clutching his throat and started another coughing fit.

"Oh my..." the fifteen-year-old whispered. Jim stepped forward.

"C'mon, gimme your arm." He slung one of Billy Bones' arm around his neck "That's it." Jim whispered to him.

"Good lad." Billy said to Jim as they began trudging slowly towards the Benbow.

Jim sighed as it finally began it rain. "Mom's gonna love this!"

Back at the inn, Mrs. Hawkins turned on the blinds until it was the one with the springtime backdrop as she sighed. "Thanks for listening, Delbert." She sat down, while placing her hand against her forehead. "It helps." Dr. Doppler had his books in his hand and was ready to leave for the night. He placed his other hand gently on Mrs. Hawkins' shoulder. "It's going to be ok. You'll see..." he said reassuringly.

She held a golden locket and opened it, revealing Jim when he was younger in holographic form, switching from a baby, to a curious child watching a floating toy, to a preteen holding a purple pet. "I keep dreaming that one day, I'll open that door, and there he'll be, just the way he was. A smiling happy little boy, holding a new pet, and begging me to let him keep it." She smiled as she cherished his naivety.

Jim reached for the doorknob before it was pulled open by Delbet. Lightning crashed behind them as Mrs. Hawkins took in Jim's soaking wet form and the heaving Billy Bones in between. The woman gasped in horror.

"James Pleiades Hawkins!" she shouted.

"Mom, he's hurt! Bad!" Jim said.

The teen gently laid him down on the floor, where he heaved again and winced from the pain of whatever his injury was. Jim set his chest down a few inches away from him. The salamander reached out to him.

"Me chest, lad." His breathing was ragged, and something told Jim he didn't have much longer. He looked down at the chest for a few minutes before pushing it towards him. He reached out and punched in the combination on three buttons near the lid. "He'll be comin' soon."

The chest opened, and Billy reached in and took out something round and wrapped hastily in a cloth. "Can't let him find this." He said.

"Who's coming?" Jim asked.

Billy grabbed Jim by his shirt collar and pulled him close enough to whisper in his ear.

"The cyborg!" the salamander whispered, his voice growing raspy. "Beware the cyborg!"

He placed the object in Jim's hands as his grip on the teen's black shirt loosened. Old Billy Bones took one last shuddering breath before he exhaled heavily and flopped back onto the floor. Dead.

Mrs. Hawkins had a hand over her mouth as she stared at the the salamander's body.

Suddenly, a light from outside filled the room and the sounds of dimming engines could be heard. Mrs. Hawkins gasped as Jim stuffed the wrapped object into his jacket pocket.

Getting to his feet, Jim stepped cautiously toward the blinds. Narrowing his eyes he used a lever on the wall next to the windows to crack them open just an inch. His eyes widened.

It was a ship that had landed in front of the inn, but it was what was hopping off the vessel that caught Jim's attentions. Shadows of burly alien men began stalking toward the inn, and Jim could just see the flash of a pistol from the lightning that momentarily lit up the night.

"Quick we've got to go!" he cried, running towards the stairs. He grabbed his mother's hand, who gasped as he yanked the women up the stairs. Delbert went to open the door, but jumped back with a yell as a purple laser shot through the doorknob.

"I believe I'm with Jim on this one!" He ran up the stairs after the two, still clutching his books. Shots were coming inside the house and Jim could hear them yelling and clattering dishes and pots inside their home. He heard fire roaring and he pushed his mother in front of him while he ran behind her.

Jim led them to the round window at the end of the hall, which Delbert flung open.

"Delilah!" he called to his two-legged, slug-like pet down below. She was currently harnessed to his two-person buggy, his means of transportation. She bounced up and down happily upon seeing him. "Delilah! Stay, and don't move!"

Jim could hear their yelling as they destroyed everything in the house.

"Where is it? We gotta find it!"

He looked behind him and he saw their shadows coming up the stairs. He quickly turned to see his mother and Dr. Delbert getting ready to jump out the window.

"Don't worry, Sarah!" Delbert assured his friend, holding her hand and looking down at his buggy. Mrs. Hawkins was looking down in fright. They were going to jump, and she didn't want to do it. She was whimpering shakily. "I'm an expert in the laws of physical science! On the count of three: One-"

"Three!" Jim shouted, shoving both adults out of the window and propelled himself down with them. Mrs. Hawkins and Delbert screamed as they quickly descended into the buggy. Delbert landed right in the driver's seat and the reigns flew up for him to catch. The collapsible roof popped up as Jim landed next to him, in-between the doctor and Mrs. Hawkins.

"Go, Delilah!" Delbert yelled, whipping the reigns. "Go!"

Delilah took off quickly and pulled them down the road. Mrs. Hawkins peered around the edge of the roof with her eyes wide with disbelief. 

The Benbow Inn was bursting into flames. Mrs. Hawkins' entire livelihood was burning before her. Turning away she let out a sigh of desperation as Jim watched her bury her face in her hands. He couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty himself while their home crumbled behind them.

Jim decided to open the cloth that was in his hand. It was golden sphere in his hand with weird buttons and symbols on it. He didn't know what it was but he figured those pirates were after it.

Later, they were at Dr. Delbert's mansion; where they were currently sitting in the doctor's observatory. The walls were all bookcases, stocked full of books. And great deals more were stacked in giant, insecure heaps around the room. Mrs. Hawkins was sad and was warming up by the fire and Jim wanted to say something to her, but he couldn't think of anything to say.

"I just spoke with the constabulary," Delbert broke the silence of the room in a serious tone. "Those blaggard pirates have fled without a trace."

Jim draped a blanket over his mother's shoulders as Delbert kneeled down so he was eye-level with his friend.

"I'm sorry, Sarah," Delbert said softly in sadness, handing a cup of tea to her. "I'm afraid the old Benbow Inn has burned to the ground."

Mrs. Hawkins drew the blanket close, not looking at her son. Jim opened his mouth to say something, but thought better of it and shut it again.

Delbert cleared his throat as he poured himself a cup of tea. "Well, certainly a lot of trouble over that odd little sphere..." he trailed off.

As if being commanded to do so, Jim walked over to the small table that he had set the sphere on earlier and picked it up. It wasn't really gold. It was metallic above anything else. It also had some strange markings carved all over it.

"Those markings baffle me," Delbert went on. "Unlike anything I've ever encountered."

Jim leaned up against a bookcase with a bared and depressed look, not really listening to the doctor's rambling. He pressed a few of the smaller circles, which turned out to be buttons, and tossed it to the other hand, swiftly doing the same thing. It made a surging sound, so Jim, with a curious and interested expression, twisted it a few times and pressed more buttons.

"Even with my vast knowledge and superior intellect, it would take me years to unlock its- "

The sphere opened instantly with a flash of green light.

"Hey!" Delbert pouted.

The green light streamed from the sphere and up to the ceiling, where it separated into millions of tiny particles and began swirling around the room. There were tiny flashes as groups of these particles stopped in certain places and formed little miniature planets. A green grid lined the walls.

Delbert gasped. "It's...a map!" he exclaimed.

Jim stepped away from the bookcase and began walking around. Delbert stopped in his observing of the map.

"Wait, wait, wait!" he exclaimed, pointing at a familiar-looking planet. "This is us! The planet Montressor!"

He tapped it with one finger, and with a great WHOOSH and a flash of light, the map began moving forward. Three-dimensional planets galaxies flew past them, and Delbert began naming off most of them.

"That's the Medulanic Cloud!" he gasped, moving his foot out of the path of a few stars. He noticed a spiral shape leading for Jim's chest and he quickly pointed at it. "Whoo, the Coral Galaxy!"

The Coral Galaxy hit Jim in the chest and expanded into a million particles. They slipped passed him and swirled around to their original spot on the map. There, they condensed back into their original spiral galaxy form.

Delbert continued to name off specific points on the map as they passed him. "That's the Signus Cross, and that's the Terran Abyss. Wait, what's this, what's this..."

He stopped as a planet enlarged as it came into view. It was large enough already, even without the enlarging that it was doing. Two rings encircled it in a way that made a deformed X pattern. Jim already knew what it was without Delbert having to say it. "Why..." Delbert trailed off. "It's, it's..."

"Treasure Planet," Jim said. His blue eyes lit up as he stared at the hologram.

"No!" Delbert exclaimed in disbelief.

"Flint's trove? The loot of a thousand worlds?" Delbert's voice was rising, his excitement building up just the teenaged boy. He looked at him with a grin. "You know what this means!"

"It means that all that treasure is only a boat-ride away!" Jim realized thrillingly, tossing the map's sphere up and catching it like it was a baseball.

"Whoever brings it back," Delbert pieced together, realizing something amazing. "...would hold an eternal place atop the pantheon of explorers! He'd be able to experience-Whoo!"

The room suddenly became bright again as Jim shut the map abruptly.

"What just happened?" Delbert asked, stupidly.

Jim looked at the map, ignoring the doctor's question. "Mom, this is it!" he exclaimed. He stuffed the map into his jacket pocket again and walked past hi mother, turning around to look at her. "This is the answer to all our problems!"

"Jim, " his mother said sternly, her hands on her hips. "There is absolutely no way-"

"Don't you remember?" Jim cut her off. "All those stories?"

"That's what they were. Stories."

Jim ignored her, thinking of something else. "With that treasure, we could rebuild the Benbow a hundred times over!" he said.

Mrs. Hawkins was shaking her head as if her son had lost his mind. He was trying to appeal to her in order for her to let him find it.

"Well this is... ju-oh my..." she trailed off, chuckling and thinking how ridiculous the whole idea was. "Delbert, would you please explain how ridiculous this is?"

"It's totally preposterous," Delbert said in a pompous tone, gripping the hem of his bathrobe with both hands in an attempt to look professional. "Traversing the entire galaxy alone."

Jim rolled his eyes.

"Now, at last we hear some sense!" Mrs. Hawkins said in a satisfied tone. She didn't hear the hidden meaning behind his words.

Delbert suddenly grabbed a black travel bag and grinned at Jim. " That's why I'm going with you!" he announced, gleefully.

"Delbert!" Mrs. Hawkins shouted in a 'You're supposed to be siding with me!' tone. Jim looked up and grinned as Delbert began rushing around the room, stuffing random items into the bag.

"I'll use my savings to fund an expedition," he began muttering to himself as he scrambled around the room. "I'll commission a ship! Hire a captain and a crew!" he climbed to the top of a large book stack, where a drinking glass was sitting, filled with various tine objects. He picked out one of the objects, a toothbrush, and dropped it in the bag, snapping it shut as the glass tumbled to the floor and shatter.

"You're not serious?" Mrs Hawkins asked, not believing what was going on.

"All my life, I've waited for an opportunity like this," Delbert slid down the pile of books and landed on both feet, dropping his bag next to him. "And here it is screaming 'Go Delbert! Go Delbert! Go-" he began doing the 'It's your birthday' dan with each 'Go Delbert!'.

"Okay, Okay! You're both grounded!" Mrs. Hawkins shouted in frustration. She placed her head in one out her hands, thinking she was the only one talking sense. Jim sighed.

"Mom, look." he began. She looked at him, and he sighed again. "I know that I keep messing everything up, and I know…that I let you down."

Her expression softened as his words rang true in her ears.

"But this is my chance to make it up to you." his face turned serious and determined. "I'm going to set things right."

"Umm, Sarah? If I may?" Delbert gestured for Mrs. Hawkins to talk to him, away from the hearing of the boy.

"You said yourself, you've tried everything! There are much worse remedies than a few...character building months in space," Delbert said, choosing his words carefully. Sarah gave him a look.

"Are you saying this, because it's the right thing, or because you really want to go?" Sarah gave him a knowing smile.

"I really, really, really want to go," Delbert clasped his hands together and said. Sarah looked down as Delbert took her chin and tilted her head back up. "And it's the right thing. And who knows? Jim might just meet a special someone along the way."

"You think Jim might meet a girl?" Sarah arched an eyebrow.

"It's quite possible," Delbert replied. Sarah glanced back at her son over her shoulder. Heaven knew he needed someone to keep an eye on him and distract him from his father's abandonment.

"Jim," she spoke softly. "I don't want to lose you," she brushed a small bit of his bangs out of his eyes.

Jim covered his mother's hand with both of his, smiling softy at her.

"Mom..." he trailed off, looking down at the floor for a brief moment. "You won't. I'll make you proud."

Mrs. Hawkins smiled at her son, touched by his words. Delbert cleared his throat.

"Well then," he said. "Here we are then. We'll begin preparations at once! Jim, my boy, soon we'll be off to the spaceport!"


	2. Chapter 2

In what appears to be the moon, it was covered with buildings, ships, people in many different forms, size and kinds. 

As Jim walked out from the space bus, he looked around himself, ignoring the barking dog that barked after him, as a very formal alien lady that walked behind him. Jim looked up into the sky, couldn't believe that this was happening. His mom had said yes! He gave a chuckle and hadn't really realized that the doctor was just behind him calling his name. 

"Oh Jim!" He called. When Delbert stood behind the young boy, jolted back his head and looked at the doctor that had robot suit, bigger then himself and looked like a big ball.

"Well Jim, this should be a wonderful opportunity for the two of us to get to know one another." Delbert continued to babble on while Jim sighed. You know what they say, familiarity breeds… um, well, contempt, but in our case-"

"Look." Jim interrupted. "Let's just find the ship. Okay?" A half chuckle came through his mouth as he started walking away. Delbert stared after him and then followed. As time passed by, they decided to ask for direction. A man covered in fur, holding a ladder, where on the top was standing a robot, and said in a rusty voice.

"Second berth on your right." The robot pointed at the direction.

"You can’t miss it." The fur alien added.

"Thanks." Jim answered with a wave. With the doctor right behind him, having troubling to find out why Jim might ignore him a bit. 

"It’s suit isn’t it?" Jim didn’t answer just kept walking, wanting nothing else but to find that ship, as fast as possible. "I should never have listened to that pushy, two-headed saleswomen. This one said it fit. That one said it was my color. I didn’t know what to do, I got so flustered-"

Finally Delbert had stopped as he stumbled into Jim who had stopped and was gazing up to a big ship. When Delbert had stumbled into the teenager, Jim had shot him a glare but shook it off when he looked back up.

"Jim, this is our ship!" Delbert exclaimed proudly and lifted his hand towards the big flying ship that was standing in front of them. It was a spectacular white ship with a streak of brown and blue lining the hull, with its cream-colored solar panels folded up like fans on top of the ship's masts, and its bow glistening of fine polished wood."The R.L.S Legacy!"

"Whoa." Jim grinned as he looked up above him.

They hurried up the catwalk and onto the great beauty, with Jim in the lead. "How cool is this?" he asked to no one in particular. He still had his cloth bag slung over his should, and he turned around, he bumped right into the strangest alien he had ever seen. It looked like a giant blowhole. It had many of them all over its body at least. "Sorry about that, I didn't mean to-" Jim started, but was cut off as the thing blew air right into his face and hair.

Delbert stared at the situation as thought it were some sort of confusing riddle. "Allow me to handle this," he finally said. Jim watched as the doctor started making fart noises with his mouth, armpit and every other way. After he was done, the alien straightened up and let out a a farting sound like it was laughing. "I'm fluent in Flatula, Jim, took two years of it in high school." He smiled smugly, blew a raspberry, and walked away.

"Flatula? Cool," Jim smiled running a hand through his hair, fixing it.

The next man they came across who wasn't busy was very large, with skin of what looked like stone. He looked very official in his red jacket and tricorn hat.

Dr. Doppler approached the rock man. "Good morning, Captain. Everything shipshape?"

"Shipshape it is, sir," he replied. "But I'm not the captain. The captain's aloft." He raised his hand to show a feline woman coming down quickly from the crow's nest with ropes and acrobatic flips and landed with a sharp meow. She had a form-fitting coat with black boots that are thigh-high. Jim and Delbert looked at her and each other, not believing the captain was a woman.  
"Mr. Arrow, I've checked this miserable ship from stem to stern," The feline person marched in front of Mr. Arrow and talked with a stern voice. "And as usual, it's…spot on." She then said with a gentle voice and used her fingers to show, that it was good. "Can’t you get nothing wrong?"

"You flatter me, Captain." The stone man changed from his stone face to a soft and politely smiles. The Captain continued to walk with grace and she came face to face with the doctor.

"Ah, Dr. Doppler I presume." she saluted. The doctor couldn't find the right words to say and ended up mumbling. The Captain continued "Hello? Can you hear me?" she said as she knocked against the suit's helmet.

The doctor straightened up "Yes I can! Stop that banging!" as he tried to remove the helmet.

"If I may, doctor, this works so much better when it's the right way up." She turned the plug the right way up as she said, then swung the struggling doctor around, "And plugged in," whilst holding the plug and plugged it into the back of the suit, in which Delbert jolted from that. "Lovely, there you go."

"If you don't mind," he took off the helmet, and then continued talking in a irritated voice. "I can manage my own plugging," Delbert held the plug in his hand and swung it up and down, just to make it clear.

"I'm Captain Amelia," The captain said and shook her hand with the doctor's clearly not listening what he said. "Late with a few run-ins with the Protean armada. Nasty business, but I won't bore you with my scars. You've met my first officer, Mr. Arrow." she waved her arm to Mr. Arrow's direction. "Sterling, tough, dependable, honest, brave and true."

"Please, Captain," Mr. Arrow blushed and smiled as he felt his ego raising. 

"Oh, shut up, Arrow, you know I didn't mean a word of it," the captain remarked sarcastically with a smile.

The doctor cleared his throat "Excuse me, I'd hate to interrupt this…lovely banter but may I introduce you," he led Jim gently forward, who still was watching around, and gave a smile as he stood in front of the captain. "Jim Hawkins. Jim, you see, is the boy who found the treasure–"

"Doctor please!" Captain Amelia swiftly grabbed his cheeks tightly with her claws, digging into the soft flesh. Her eyes showed lightning and then took a look around suspiciously. The crew gave a soft groan as they continued with their posts. "I'd like a word with you in my office." She released her grip and the canine fellow adjusted his face.

They were then led into the stateroom; the cat woman locked the door firmly behind them.

"Doctor," she began, "To muse and blabber about a treasure map in front of this particular crew, demonstrates a level of ineptitude, that borders on the imbecilic. And I mean that in a very caring way."

"Imbecilic?" the doctor snapped, "Did you say? Foolishness, I've got–"

The captain cut him off. "May I see the map, please?"

Delbert didn't look too pleased, but looked toward Jim. He shrugged, as if wondering what to do. The doctor waved his hand as a sign to let her see it. Jim's face returned to its regular straight grimace, and one of his hands come out of his jacket pocket.

"Here," he replied dully, and tossed the map to her. Amelia caught it without moving anything else but her arm.

"Hmmm. Fascinating," Amelia's green eyes widened as she walked over to the cabinet across from the desk. She unlocked the cabinet and placed the golden ball inside a small treasure box at the back of the cabinet. "Mr. Hawkins, in the future you will address me as Captain or Ma'am, is that clear?" she hissed with her back still turned to Jim. He sighed and shoved his hands in his jacket pockets while turning his head. "Mr. Hawkins?" Amelia asked again.

"Yes ma'am…" he finally replied, but looked angry.

"That would do," she shut the safe doors and locked it securely. She continued, "Gentlemen, this must be kept in lock and key when not in use. And doctor, again, with greatest possible respect, zip your howling screamer."

He adjusted his glasses "Captain, I assure you I–"

"Let me make this as, monosyllabic as possible," she said while sitting down at her office table. The doctor waved it off knowing that once again he was cut off. She then continued, "I don't much care for the crew you've hired. They're…"she turned her head towards Mr. Arrow "…how did I describe them, Arrow? I said something rather good this morning before coffee."

He quoted "A ludicrous parcel of driveling galoots, ma'am."

"There you go, poetry."

"Now, see here -" the doctor slammed his hands on the table more furious than ever. But once again he was cut off.

"Doctor, I'd love to chat. Tea, cake the whole she-bang" she stood up from her seat. "But I have a ship to launch, and you have an outfit to buff up. Mr. Arrow" she indicated, "Please escort these two neophytes down to the galley straight away, young Hawkins will be working for our cook, Mr. Silver."

Without realizing that their banter was over, Jim took a while to register what she just said after fidgeting with a dangling silver object off a measuring instrument.

"What? The cook?" he practically shouted.

"And you'll be helping Aya as well." Mr. Arrow mentioned. Jim looked even more surprised. He was going to share work with another boy!? 

'Well, he better get out of my way.' Jim thought to himself.

Delbert was stomping down the stair to the galley angrily. "That woman, that feline! Who does she think is working for whom?" He held a fist upon his chest then placed them by his hips.

"It's my map, and she's got me bussing tables?" added Jim.

"I will not tolerate any cross word about our captain." Mr. Arrow landed his rocky hands on the guy's shoulders. "There's no finer in this or any galaxy."

From the distance, a cheerful whistle could be heard from the kitchen. It came from the shadowy figure of a plump man slicing ingredients for his cooking.

"Mr. Silver?" Arrow called out.

He stopped whistling then said "Why, Mr. Arrow, sir," he wiped his greasy fingers onto his apron, "bringing in such fine and distinguished guests to grace my humble galley. " He then bowed forward, revealing mechanical arms and legs. "Had I known, I'd have tucked in me shirt." He said as he hastily tucked in his shirt and apron into his trousers as he proceeded to chuckle and walk over the other side of the kitchen. This also caused him to reveal that his right eye was robotic.

"A cyborg…" Jim remarked under his breath.

"May I introduce Dr. Doppler? The financier of our voyage?" Arrow informed the cyborg. Silver chuckles, "Love the outfit, Doc." His cyborg eye flowed and a red line appeared as he looked over Delbert's suit.

"Well, thank you. Um, love the eye." Delbert laughed nervously as he squirmed uncomfortably under the cyborg's gave. "Uh, this young lad is Jim Hawkins."

"Jimbo!" Silver said when he held out his robotic hand with knives. He noticed and quickly switched it to a regular hand. Jim gave him a glare. "Oh, don't be too put off by this hunk of hardware-" Silver stopped. "Aya. We have guests." Delbert looked around and saw someone washing dishes.

"Aya!" Silver shouted.

Jim looked over up from the ground and saw a young girl his age coming out from the kitchen. She had long red-brown hair, she was wearing green long shirt with a coal jacket, had a headband that sat on her forehead, her dark green pants covered the upper part of her black boots, earrings that looked like Jim's, but on both ears, and she was wearing a necklace, with a blue stone hanging loose on her chest. 

She had teal eyes and looked very tired and a bit annoyed as well, her hair was also a bit mixed up. But one thing that shocked Jim most was this:

AYA WAS A GIRL!!

"You got to be kidding me." He whispered. Was Jim really going to work with a girl!? 

"Everyone this is Aya, the cabin girl." 

"Pleasure to meet you." Delbert said as he lifted up his hand. But Aya only gave him a glare, that could make anyone move into a mouse house. Slowly Delbert moved away his hand.

"You called, Silver?" Was the only thing she said.

"Ah yes!" Said Silver with a smirk. He switched his cyborg arm into a clamp and began taking a few squid-like meats and switched his arm again into a pair of scissors and started cutting them up, then moving onto a few vegetables as he efficiently switched his arm into a cutting knife, and swiftly chopped them up while jokingly pretending that he chopped his arm off after he was done, but it reemerged as he laughed at the effect.

Switching into a few smaller clamps now to squeeze in the sauce from a flowering seed, he said, "These gears have been tough getting used to, but they do come in handy from time to time." He quickly switched his robot arm into a Bunsen burner to cook the ingredients that were tossed into the pan. Then he dumped the ingredients into a bigger cooking pot over a fire, only to continue adding spices then tasting it with a soup spoon, full of delight to sip into his wonderful mixture.

He lined up three bowls onto his arm and then poured the soupy mix into the three bowls. "Here now, have taste o' my famous Bonzabeast stew." He chuckled, and gave Delbert, Jim and even Aya each a bowl of the stew. 

The glasses-wearing canine sniffed it nervously, then dipping his tongue to the surface of the soup for a few licks, finally said "Mmm! Delightfully tangy, yet robust." To which the cook responded cheerily, "Old family recipe!"

Aya started drinking it as the stew flowed down like pasta sauce down her throat.

Then an eyeball floated to the surface of Delbert's stew. The doctor nearly dropped his bowl in surprise. "Ahh!"

"In fact, that was part of the old family!" he laughed loudly. "Oh, ho! I'm just kiddin', Doc!"

"Uh, yeah, well..." Delbert began.

Silver then took the eyeball and plopped it into his mouth and swallowed it right away. "I'm nothing if I ain't a kidder!" He grinned at Jim, who still hasn't touched his stew. "Go on Jimbo, have a swig!"

He just stared at the seemingly thick broth on the silver spoon. A split second later the spoon seemingly came to life and swallowed the broth. It then revealed a pink translucent blob. Jim gasped at it. The blob then continued to shapeshift into a straw to suck up the stew from Jim's bowl.

"Morph, you jiggle headed blog of mischief. So that's where you've been hiding!" said Mr. Silver.

The pink shapeshifter was on the floor content with the stew, and gave a burp. It then floated by the group and gave Jim a cute huddle on his cheek.

Aya laughed. "I think he likes you."

"What is that thing?" Jim gasped, ignoring Aya's comment as the creature, Morph, split into dozens of little balls before reforming an exact, albeit miniature, replica of Jim standing on the boy's finger.

"What is that thing?" the shape shifter mimicked. 

"He's...a morph," Silver answered. "I rescued the little shape shifter on Proteus 1." Morph reformed and licked Jim's cheek making the boy smile as the little protoplasm returned to Silver's shoulder, rubbing against the man's cheek affectionately. "He took a shine ta me, we've been together ever since."

At this point Mr. Arrow lifted his head as the sound of a bell echoed from somewhere up above.

"We're about to get under way," he announced. "Would you like to observe the launch, Doctor?" At this Delbert's face lit up.

"Would I?" he gasped. "Does an active galactic nucleus have superluminal jets?" When nobody responded to his scientific joke, he straightened up with a sober expression. "I'll follow you," he muttered and headed past Mr. Arrow. Jim was about to follow suit when the first mate's massive hand pushed him back.

"Mr. Hawkins will stay here in your charge, Mr. Silver."

Silver choked an spit on his own spoon of his stew. Even Aya looked surprised.

"Beggin' your pardon, Sir, but I -"

"Captain's orders!" Mr. Arrow shouted him down. "See to it the new cabin boy is kept busy!"

Jim, Silver, and Aya all began talking over each other. None of them were happy about the situation they had been put in, but when Mr. Arrow left, giving no indication he had heard their complaints, the three of them released irritable sighs. 

Silver was the first to straighten up, giving Jim a speculative look.

"So, Captain's put you with me, eh?" Jim tried to ignore the harsh glare Aya was giving him and instead turned back to Silver.

"Whatever," he muttered. 

"Well, who be a humble cyborg then to argue with the captain," Silver replied, rolling up his sleeves to begin preparing another meal.

"Yeah," Jim rubbed his chin as he reached into the purp barrel nearby and drew out two of the purple fruits. He tossed one to Aya in hopes of loosening her attitude, and was silently pleased when she caught it and took a bite. "You know, these purps, they're kinda like the ones back home, on Montressor. You ever been there?"

"Ah, can't says I have, Jimbo." Silver replied tossing some fruit around. Jim took a bite out of the purl and jumped up so that he was sitting on the counter.

"Come to think of it... just before I left, I met this old guy who was um.. who was kind of looking for a cyborg buddy of his." He continued.

"Is that so?" Silver continued to reply with his back turned.

"Really?" Aya asked. When Jim looked at her, her eyes narrowed. She knew he was testing Silver. He was amazed that she could pick up on that so quickly. He just stared into her eyes for a few seconds, but finally turned away.

"Yeah... Oh what was that old salamander's name? Oh yeah, Bones. Billy Bones?" Jim continued.

"Bones? Boooonnness? Mm ain't ringin' away any bells. Must've been a different cyborg, there's a slew of cyborgs roaming this port." Silver continued while dragging a heavy pot of water towards Jim and setting it down. Just then, a whistle sounded and they heard Mr. Arrow's great voice.

"Prepare to cast off!" He shouted.

"Ah, off with yeh two, and watch the launch. There'll be plenty work awaiting for yeh afterwards." Jim and Aya both rolled their eyes and headed upstairs.

"We are all clear, Captain," An eight-eyed alien look-out yelled from the crow's nest.

"Well, my friend. Are we ready to raise this creaking tub?" The captain said to Mr. Arrow.

"My pleasure, Captain. All hands to stations! Smartly now!"

Aya ran outside. This was something she had waited for, for so long, and no one should take that from her, not even that stupid Cabin Boy. When Jim stepped into the light he could already see that the whole crew was on their way to each post. 

"Ha, like I would care where she goes anyway." Jim frowned.

"Loose all solar sails!" Mr. Arrow shouted. Jim went further on the deck and looked amused at the sails. All the light the sails catch from the sun, as it got loose. As Jim looked around he saw Aya in the railings, waiting exciting to be getting off the ground and start sailing. 

Jim could feel the ship had started raising, and looked over the rail to see. When it hit terminal altitude, he started to feel lighter, then began to float upwards, and so were Aya, the Captain, Mr. Arrow, the doctor, and pretty much everyone on the ship.

"Mr. Snoff, engage artificial gravity!" Captain Amelia commanded the snorting creature and he gave Flatulan greetings, which sounds like "Aye aye, Captain!" before he pushed a lever which cause a spark of purple to light across the floors of the deck temporarily, thus activating artificial gravity. Jim and Aya both landed on the balls of their feet with their hands.

"South by southwest, Mr. Turnbuckle 2-1-0-0."

"Aye, Captain, 2-1-0-0" The ship turned sideways to the right.

"Full speed, Mr. Arrow, if you please."

"Take her away!"

"Brace yourself, Doctor."

The ship blasted off with a powerful force, knocking Delbert past Amelia, and into the wall.

Aya was climbing on the shrouds, holding on tight, with her back towards the rope and stretch out by her arms to feel the sun and air flying through the hair, as the ship flew fast out into the space. Delbert flew back and hit the wall behind the Captain, who just stood still like a rock.

Jim had held onto some rope as well, and then noticed Aya, who was smiling, and her long red-brown hair flying back. He couldn't help but smile a little. She really had a pretty smile. Suddenly the girl looked down, and saw the boy was smiling at her. He looked away and started climbing on the shrouds as well, just a little higher up then herself. 

Aya blushed a bit when she saw that Jim was blushing too. Maybe... there was more into that boy then she thought? Maybe he actually would be a nice guy to talk with? Maybe he was a bad boy... or acting like it anyway. But the way he acted while he was outside... it was like he wanted the same as her.

Freedom.

Aya didn't spend too much time pondering Jim's facade, for in the next moment her line of vision was obstructed by a substantial force gliding alongside the ship.

"Whoa... is that...?" Jim began and Aya laughed.

"Space whales!" The Orcus Galacticus, or space whale, as Aya had mentioned, was gargantuan. It was far larger than their ship, yet, thankfully, a peaceful creature unless otherwise disrupted. It was currently traveling in a close-knit pod beside the RLS Legacy and as Jim leaned off the ship to get a better look the whale moved away to reveal many more using their wing-like fins to propel them forward. 

Jim glanced up at Aya and couldn't help but admire the way she smiled, her hair whipping around her face in the breeze. 

It was only when she caught his eye did he turn away, his face hot.

"Upon my word, an Orcus galacticus. Smile." Dr. Delbert was getting ready to take a picture.

"Uh, Doctor I don't think-" suddenly the space-whale blew some slime up from a hole on its back, and hit Delbert. Amelia chuckled.

Suddenly Silver appeared on the deck talking to the captain, as formal as he could, trying his best to show of his "charm". 

"Ah tis a fine day for sailing, Captain!" He greeted. Amelia looked down and frowned when she saw the cook. "An' look at yeh! Yer as trim an' as bonny as a sloop with new sails an' a fresh coat o' paint." Silver was wearing his big black coat and his 3 corner hat, and bowed deeply for the captain as he praised her.

"You can keep that kind of flimflammer for your spaceport floozies, Silver!" Amelia answered with a cold stare.

Morph turned into Amelia and started to mimicking after what the captain had just said.

Silver's face went upside down, acting like he was really hurt inside, and then catch Morph with his hat. "You've cut me to the quick, Captain," Silver said. "I speaks nothin' but me heart at all times – eh heh," he laughed, trying to keep his hat on, as Morph tried to get out.

"And um, by the way, aren't those your cabin kids aimlessly fooling about in those shrouds?" 

"I – they – oh. A moment to the aberration, Captain. Soon to be addressed," he assured her.

"Jimbo! Aya!" Both teens turned around and looked at Silver. "I got two new friends I'd like ya both to meet." Jim looked around, not really knowing what, the old Cyborg was talking about. 

Aya looked a bit nervous "Oh, no, Silver. You don't mean..."

"Yep. Say hallo to Mr. Mop and Mrs. Bucket." He threw it over to the teens. Jim grabbed the mop and looked annoyed, since he had got tricked. Aya grabbed the bucket, with a scowl on her face, as the Cyborg walked laughing of.

"Yippie." He said with his head shaking a little.


End file.
